Whats wrong with USCIS?

[LoveMyTico 999]

Engagement is not a legally binding contract or commitment.

Marriage is.

No one is saying K-1 petitions shouldn't be processed in a timely manner.

We just want our petitions to be processed just as fast.

WHAT SHE SAID ! ! !

[Steven.Plant 11]

The problem is USCIS is not letting the K3 Visas go thru. Then a USC could get the family together just as fast as the other K filers. Thats what is wrong. Big secret they are keeping.

[cdneh 3,112]

from the mouth of someone who is already approved and finished with their journey... We are talking about the CURRENT situation and backlog. Please do not hop on this thread and tell people how they should or shouldn't feel.

Nobody here ever said " darn those K-1 filers, if it weren't for them, we wouldn't be backlogged" Everyone knows its the USCIS's process and poor planning.

I personally think that they USCIS needs to review their priorities and process the married petitions first. I never said they should STOP processing the K-1s.

SO? I started years ago. I'd hope to be done now wouldn't I .And yes, it has been said that K1's are getting defacto priority. It's been said they ought to be at the end of the line.

What happened THEN illustrates what is happening NOW. That is why is salient to the current situation.

From someone who is already approved, yep right out of my mouth. Just zipped right through, all K1's do right? No worries at all. Living the life of Riley.

Months to NOA2. Nearly 8 weeks in AP at NVC on our K1, just in time we arrived there for one of their 'new procedures'. Consulate in AKL didn't even know what was up, no one here could help. Missed Christmas, in fact didn't get here until March the following year.

Shipped to CSC during AOS for 'faster processing" when it was taking only a few weeks for approvals. Darn. Head of another new line, slow down, and that took five months for "faster processing".

For ROC, 10 months, two trips for biometrics out of state no less.

No worries right? No kiddies. At my age, I'd really rather not. But you can add to my worries a daughter in law who insisted we live in the 'granny flat' at her house. Who let us pay a tidy fortune on getting it up to standard. Who failed to tell us she was underwater, and she lost the house to foreclosure. Homeless, and nearly broke, at 58 and 60.

Change states, back to work. No worries right? Husband gets sick, and then he gets sicker still. Ends up in the hospital for 4 and a half months having a transplant, Dies twice, and is resuscitated. . Lost my job, as he to this day requires constant care, and my place of business didn't have time for that.

I'd like back the two years of MY life this process sucked up. We started off together many years before we filed, in fact we met first at 17 and 19. So don't tell me our relationship isn't as valid, or as important.

If the worst that happens to you is you have to wait, well you'd all be very lucky. Try and remember there are real people behind the names and numbers you see, with real stories, and not all of it's sweetness and light.

They ought to get them ALL done in a timely manner. They are not. All separation sucks, all waiting is painful, whatever your visa type is.

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

SO? I started years ago. I'd hope to be done now wouldn't I .And yes, it has been said that K1's are getting defacto priority. It's been said they ought to be at the end of the line.

What happened THEN illustrates what is happening NOW. That is why is salient to the current situation.

From someone who is already approved, yep right out of my mouth. Just zipped right through, all K1's do right? No worries at all. Living the life of Riley.

Months to NOA2. Nearly 8 weeks in AP at NVC on our K1, just in time we arrived there for one of their 'new procedures'. Consulate in AKL didn't even know what was up, no one here could help. Missed Christmas, in fact didn't get here until March the following year.

Shipped to CSC during AOS for 'faster processing" when it was taking only a few weeks for approvals. Darn. Head of another new line, slow down, and that took five months for "faster processing".

For ROC, 10 months, two trips for biometrics out of state no less.

No worries right? No kiddies. At my age, I'd really rather not. But you can add to my worries a daughter in law who insisted we live in the 'granny flat' at her house. Who let us pay a tidy fortune on getting it up to standard. Who failed to tell us she was underwater, and she lost the house to foreclosure. Homeless, and nearly broke, at 58 and 60.

Change states, back to work. No worries right? Husband gets sick, and then he gets sicker still. Ends up in the hospital for 4 and a half months having a transplant, Dies twice, and is resuscitated. . Lost my job, as he to this day requires constant care, and my place of business didn't have time for that.

I'd like back the two years of MY life this process sucked up. We started off together many years before we filed, in fact we met first at 17 and 19. So don't tell me our relationship isn't as valid, or as important.

If the worst that happens to you is you have to wait, well you'd all be very lucky. Try and remember there are real people behind the names and numbers you see, with real stories, and not all of it's sweetness and light.

They ought to get them ALL done in a timely manner. They are not. All separation sucks, all waiting is painful, whatever your visa type is.

I am really sorry all this happened to you. Life can certainly be a real b*tch.

Most of us here have our own stories, too. I do.

And I am very angry at USCIS right now.

[cdneh 3,112]

It sure can. I am sure a lot of the stories behind the names are far worse than mine. I'm already widowed twice, so was hoping for a little better this go around.

USCIS So suck. I think they ought to get their collective sh*t together. A little transparency would go a long way. One of the worst things, is when. When does the waiting around looking for dribs and drabs of info to fall your way end. When!

No wonder people stress really. Just alleviating that would go a long way I think.

I wish you all well, and hope to heaven they speed up and get ON with it!

[Lifehastomoveon 37]

LoveinBrazil, on 01 Nov 2013 - 07:07 AM, said:

HAHA you made me laugh I didn't know that I had to ask US government to get married lol

Silly me, I thought just because I loved her I can marry her , OMG I forgot to get the permission from govt. Am I going to get RFE for that lol

Fun quotes.. RFE for the one who failed to get permission from USCIS to get marry. If it was the situation, CR1 petitioners would have gone thru the paperr works for marriage, they would have got NOA0 first , then NOA1 and NOA2 comes next.

[Teddy B 17,251]

It's legal to come here on a tourist visa, get married, then go back to your country and wait for a spousal visa; it's illegal if you stay and AOS.

It is not illegal to come to the US on a tourist visa, get married and adjust status while here. It happens all the time. My wife and I did it, there is a section on this board dedicated to it. My wife (then girlfriend) came here on a 2 month visit for the summer, she had all intentions of going back to Canada after her visit was over. I proposed to her two weeks before she left. She decided to stay, we got married a few months later and adjusted her status without her ever leaving. Perfectly legal.

The only time it would be considered fraud is if you misrepresented yourself to an immigration official upon entry. If you enter the US on a tourist visa with the preconceived intent of marrying and adjusting status, then it is considered fraud. However intent alone is still not enough to deny AOS, there has to be proof of misrepresentation provided by USCIS to deny any AOS application on a tourist visa.

[Kaylara 814]

That's good to know!

[LoveMyTico 999]

It is not illegal to come to the US on a tourist visa, get married and adjust status while here. It happens all the time. My wife and I did it, there is a section on this board dedicated to it. My wife (then girlfriend) came here on a 2 month visit for the summer, she had all intentions of going back to Canada after her visit was over. I proposed to her two weeks before she left. She decided to stay, we got married a few months later and adjusted her status without her ever leaving. Perfectly legal.

The only time it would be considered fraud is if you misrepresented yourself to an immigration official upon entry. If you enter the US on a tourist visa with the preconceived intent of marrying and adjusting status, then it is considered fraud. However intent alone is still not enough to deny AOS, there has to be proof of misrepresentation provided by USCIS to deny any AOS application on a tourist visa.

I know tons of people who have done it that way, unfortunately some of them got one over on immigration because it was only for a greencard. I hate when that happens because the rest of us pay the price. But no, its not illegal to marry on a B2 visa

[CBanksRN 34]

Just an FYI...
I know there's a petition floating around but I could not find one on the White House website. I wish my wife could at least visit on a B-2 while we wait this out, but unfortunately like other non-visa waiver program spouses, she cannot. So I put this petition together...Sign it, re-post it, facebook it, whatever you need to do to help get the word out. Something has to be done! https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/grant-2-year-multiple-entry-b-2-visas-beneficiaries-i-130-petitions-exceed-uscis-national-goal/vWpN6GtB

Grant 2 year multiple-entry B-2 visas to the beneficiaries of I-130 Petitions that exceed the USCIS National Goal

Since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) of June 15, 2012, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives has almost doubled (1). This has also doubled I-130 processing times from 5 months to more than 11 months (1). While over 80% of DACA applications have been approved (2), lawful citizens are having to wait long periods to be united with their families.

Americans who marry abroad cannot even bring their family back to visit. We petition you to grant I-130 beneficiaries that have surpassed the UCIS National Goal temporary 2 year multi-entry B-2 visas without regard to strong social ties to their home country.

SOURCES:

(1) http://dashboard.uscis.gov/index.cfm?formtype=4&office=88&charttype=1

(2)http://www.dhs.gov/blog/2013/10/24/

Created: Nov 02, 2013

Issues: Civil Rights and Liberties, Family, Immigration

[Hollyday 122]

Just an FYI...

I know there's a petition floating around but I could not find one on the White House website. I wish my wife could at least visit on a B-2 while we wait this out, but unfortunately like other non-visa waiver program spouses, she cannot. So I put this petition together...Sign it, re-post it, facebook it, whatever you need to do to help get the word out. Something has to be done! https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/grant-2-year-multiple-entry-b-2-visas-beneficiaries-i-130-petitions-exceed-uscis-national-goal/vWpN6GtB

i'd rather they just sped it up. I'm sure i'm not the only one who has an active B-1/B-2 already while waiting.

Also there is a non-immigrant K-3 for the purpose of bringing spouses in earlier so you could petition for those to be processed in a timely manner. I think it'd be a better option since it's designed for it than just tourist visas.

[En-oh-eh-to now 147]

i'd rather they just sped it up. I'm sure i'm not the only one who has an active B-1/B-2 already while waiting.

Also there is a non-immigrant K-3 for the purpose of bringing spouses in earlier so you could petition for those to be processed in a timely manner. I think it'd be a better option since it's designed for it than just tourist visas.

Agreed. I think the petition should be for issuing K-3 visas if USCIS cannot clear the backlog they allowed to accumulate. If we have such a petition, I will push all of our Twitter followers to sign. once we hit 150 signatures, it will be visible on the White House petition page.

[Kaylara 814]

Yeah, seriously, I'd file for the K3 if they were actually adjudicating those in a timely manner and I wasn't afraid that it was going to slow down my IR1 visa even further.

[Kaylara 814]

Maybe THIS is what's wrong with them: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/01/Report-Homeland-Security-wasting-87-annually-in-unearned-overtime/UPI-26251383320820/?spt=rln∨=1

"Employees at the Department of Homeland Security routinely bill unworked overtime hours, according to seven whistleblowers at six different offices, and the overtime pool — referred to by some employees as a "candy bowl" — is even advertised as a "perk" to new hires.

The abuse, the Washington Post reports, is thanks to an overtime option known as Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO), intended for use by agents who are given urgent work that couldn't be scheduled in advance.

Instead, office employees routinely bill an extra two AUO hours at the end of the day, often passing the time just sitting at their desks."

http://gawker.com/homeland-security-employees-refer-to-overtime-pay-as-a-1457253116

[Kaylara 814]

A whistleblower at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters facility in

Washington, D.C., alleged abuses of AUO in 2010 while the whistleblower worked in the

Office of Security and Integrity (OSI). The whistle blower alleged that everyone in OSI

claimed 10 hours of AUO every week, even though no employee performed work that

qualified. This whistleblower requested that her position be made ineligible for AUO and

also advised supervisors that AUO was being routinely misused. The whistle blower was

initially told she could not be decertified from AUO because it would draw unwanted

attention to the office. While the whistleblower was eventually decertified, the AUO abuse

by others has not stopped. DHS is required to submit a report in response to these

allegations by November 13, 2013.